Why One Welcome Email Isn’t Enough: Cannabis Marketing Strategies That Actually Drive Loyalty
In the world of cannabis retail, first impressions are everything. With more dispensaries entering the market and customers having endless options at their fingertips, your ability to build a relationship from day one matters more than ever. For cannabis businesses looking to boost engagement, build loyalty, and increase lifetime value, it’s time to rethink one of the most overlooked cannabis marketing strategies: the welcome email.
Because one email? It’s not enough.
The best-performing dispensaries aren’t sending a single hello and hoping for the best. They’re nurturing new customers through a strategically crafted welcome series—a warm, well-timed sequence of messages that turns first-time visitors into loyal fans within their first 45–60 days.
And if you’re using loyalty software like Alpine IQ, especially with expert guidance from ESBE, you’ve got everything you need to make that series work hard for your bottom line.
The Power of a Welcome Series (and Why It Works)
Most dispensaries send a generic welcome email: “Thanks for signing up! Here’s 10% off your next order.”
Then… crickets.
But the most valuable phase of the customer lifecycle is right after that first sign-up. That’s when interest is high, brand impressions are forming, and the path to a second or third visit is still wide open.
A well-designed welcome series builds momentum. It keeps your brand front and center in the customer’s mind while guiding them to:
- Understand your loyalty program
- Discover what makes your dispensary different
- Take action (download your app, visit again, refer a friend)
The goal? Drive three visits in 45–60 days. That’s the proven sweet spot for turning a casual customer into a committed one.
How ESBE + Alpine IQ Bring Cannabis Welcome Campaigns to Life
At ESBE, we specialize in cannabis marketing strategies that go beyond the basics. That means designing lifecycle-driven campaigns that speak directly to where each customer is in their journey.
Using Alpine IQ’s advanced automation, we help dispensaries implement multi-step welcome sequences triggered the moment someone opts into your loyalty program or downloads your app.
These sequences can be delivered via:
- SMS
- Push notifications (through your dispensary’s app)
And they’re personalized based on:
- Location
- Purchase history
- Loyalty status
- Product preferences
With the right timing and message cadence, this kind of targeted outreach generates significantly more engagement than one-off messages.
Anatomy of a High-Performing Cannabis Welcome Series
Let’s walk through what a strong welcome series might look like. Think of each message as part of a bigger story—one that invites the customer deeper into your world.
Email 1: The Warm Welcome
- Sent immediately after sign-up
- Thank the customer, highlight your brand personality
- Introduce your loyalty program benefits (points, exclusive access, birthday gifts)
- Include a low-friction CTA, like visiting your website or browsing your menu
Email 2: Why We’re Different
- Sent 2–3 days later
- Share what makes your dispensary unique (sourcing practices, staff expertise, local partnerships)
- Feature staff picks, customer reviews, or behind-the-scenes content
- Add a CTA encouraging them to stop by again or explore a specific category
Email 3: Get the App
- Sent 5–7 days after sign-up
- Showcase the benefits of your mobile app (track rewards, get push alerts, skip the line)
- Add a QR code or direct link to download
Email 4: Ways to Earn Beyond Shopping
- Sent 8–10 days in
- Educate customers on other ways to earn: referring friends, leaving reviews, participating in community events, or making donations
- Bonus: include a referral code for sharing
Email 5: Personal Touch
- Sent 2 weeks after signup
- Include a message from a budtender or founder
- Ask for feedback or questions
- Reiterate your commitment to education, safety, or whatever differentiates your brand
Timing + Segmentation = Welcome Series Success
Here’s where many dispensaries stumble.
They set up a welcome series, but send it to everyone in the same way, regardless of whether they’re a first-timer, a longtime fan, or someone who just made their 10th purchase.
That’s a missed opportunity.
With Alpine IQ and ESBE, we segment your audience based on behavior and loyalty status. That way:
- Newcomers get a true onboarding journey
- Returning customers don’t get re-introduced to things they already know
- High-value customers can be ushered into VIP flows
Proper segmentation increases open rates, click-throughs, and conversions across the board.
Why a Welcome Series Belongs in Every Cannabis Marketing Strategy
When people think about cannabis marketing strategies, they often jump straight to:
- In-store promotions
- Social media (even with restrictions)
- SMS discounts
All of those matter. But a welcome series is different. It’s one of the few opportunities you get to:
- Speak directly to the customer’s mindset right after they’ve opted in
- Set expectations for how your brand communicates
- Educate them on why they should come back
- Automate the process while making it feel personal
That’s why we build welcome flows into nearly every loyalty rollout we manage at ESBE. It’s not just a touchpoint—it’s a cornerstone.
The Long-Term Impact: Repeat Visits and Revenue
A single email might bring someone back once. A full welcome sequence? That’s what builds habits.
When done well, welcome flows:
- Boost second and third visits within the first 60 days
- Increase app downloads (driving push reach and on-the-go engagement)
- Drive more redemptions and loyalty point usage
- Deliver higher lifetime value per customer
They also improve email/SMS engagement long-term, setting the tone for future campaign performance.
How ESBE Helps Dispensaries Get It Right
Welcome series are only as good as the strategy behind them. That’s where we come in.
At ESBE, we:
- Audit your current customer journey
- Design and write every message in your series
- Set up automation flows inside Alpine IQ
- Integrate seamlessly with your loyalty program and dispensary app
- Monitor, test, and refine for performance
We’ve helped dispensaries across 14+ states turn their loyalty data into dynamic, high-ROI messaging strategies—and welcome campaigns are often the first thing we build.
Because if you want customers to come back again and again, you can’t rely on a single hello.
Ready to Level Up Your Welcome Strategy?
If you’re still sending one email and hoping for the best, let’s fix that.
Your customers deserve a better first impression. Your team deserves a system that works while you sleep. And your brand deserves cannabis marketing strategies that actually convert.
Let’s build a welcome series that does all that and more.
📢 Contact ESBE today to get started.
